Inter Miami advanced to the quarterfinals of the Concacaf Champions League after defeating Nashville 3-1, with whom they had tied in the first leg (2-2). Messi and Suárez were the stars of the clash, with a goal and an assist each, although the Argentine retired in the 50th minute suffering from overload.
The Florida team left the tie on track in the first 23 minutes. The first goal came early, in the 8th, through a combination between Alba, Messi and Suárez. The Spanish full-back gave the ball to ‘Pistolero’ on the edge of the area, who let it pass to the ’10’. The Argentine played quickly for Suárez, who beat Willis, Nashville’s goalkeeper, with his right foot.
‘Tata’ Martino’s team did not let up and, in the 23rd minute, Messi scored his fifth goal of the season in that same number of games. The Argentine missed an opportunity six minutes earlier, but he saved the second one. The match was facing Inter Miami, as Nashville needed two goals to tie the tie and Gary Smith’s men could not find the formula to hurt the Herons.
The worst news of the game for those from Florida came after the restart. In the 50th minute, Messi had to leave the field of play due to an “overload on his right back”, as ‘Tata’ Martino later confirmed in the press conference. Likewise, the Argentine coach declared: “I don’t want to venture out, but I imagine that, for Saturday’s game (against DC United), he will not be available.” It would be the second consecutive MLS match that Messi, who also rested against Orlando City, does not play.
The injury to the ’10’ was a splash of cold water for the herons, who suffered to maintain the 2-0 lead in the match. Even so, Nashville did not convert the several chances it had and, at the worst moment of the game for Inter Miami, Suárez appeared again. The Uruguayan, with a measured cross, found only Robert Taylor inside the area, who finished off with a header to make it 3-0 that squandered the hopes of those from Tennessee.
Gary Smith’s team did not lose face of the match, and Surridge, in the 93rd minute, scored the goal of honor for the final 3-1. Inter Miami, with this victory, is already among the eight best in the competition, and awaits a rival between Monterrey and Cincinnati, a tie in which the Mexicans have a 0-1 in their favor. The first leg of the quarterfinals will be on April 2 or 3, while the second leg will be played on the 9th or 10th of that same month.
Inter Miami: Callender; Gressel, Avilés, Kryvtsov (Allen, m.77), Freire, Alba; Redondo, Busquets, Gómez; Messi (Taylor, m.49) and Suárez (Campana, m.86).
Nashville: Willis; Lovitz, Washington (Bauer, m.46), Macnaughton, Moore; Godoy (Anunga, m.68), Davis (Yearwood, m.68), Shaffleburg (Gaines, m.75), Mukhtar, Muyl (Surridge, m.46); Boyd.
Goals: 1-0, m.8: Suárez. 2-0, m.17: Messi. 3-0, m.63: Taylor. 3-1, m.93: Surridge.
Referee: Drew Fisher (CAN). He showed yellow card to Godoy (m.3), from Nashville.
Incidents: Match corresponding to the second leg of the round of 16 of the Concacaf Champions League played at the Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale (USA) in front of nearly 20,000 spectators.
